


Night Terrors and Merlin Cuddles

by Emrys MK (mk_malfoy)



Series: Merlin Episodes: AUs, Missing Scenes, and Inspired By [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Caring Merlin, Episode: s01e02 Valiant, Fluffy, Hurt/Comfort, Kink Meme, M/M, Missing Scene, Short & Sweet, upset Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-20 20:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14901440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mk_malfoy/pseuds/Emrys%20MK
Summary: Arthur has night terrors, which can only be soothed by the presence of Merlin. The OP's prompt had the following:"I just want all the h/c fluff and sleepy cuddles you can muster!"I hope I have given you that, OP.





	Night Terrors and Merlin Cuddles

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: _Either Arthur or Merlin has night terrors, which can only be soothed by the presence of the other. Bonus points if this is canon era (but modern AU is okay too), and they don't start out in an established relationship but slowly develop one over time. Basically I just want all the h/c fluff and sleepy cuddles you can muster!_
> 
> I have altered it somewhat to keep the fic from being too long.
> 
>  **Disclaimer** : Merlin characters are the property of Shine and BBC. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Merlin rubbed his eyes as he dumped out the water he’d used to do the laundry and thought how nice it would be to get a full night’s sleep. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d slept until he woke naturally.

Perhaps when he was six or seven.

As soon as he was old enough to do chores, his mother began waking Merlin before the sun came up and the two would work for at least two hours in whatever weather conditions they were presented with before they sat down for breakfast. Now it was Gaius’s much-too-cheerful voice that awoke him before first light to go and gather herbs that were best plucked from obscurity in the pre-dawn darkness.

The laundered clothes neatly folded (yes, via magic), Merlin gathered the basket in his hands and made his way to Arthur’s chambers, already thinking about his bed in the tower. 

There were courtiers finishing their tasks before turning in for the night, and he passed a group of men and women who were dressed in their court finest, looking a bit worse for wear, probably after several hours in the Rising Sun. Merlin barely acknowledged them as he covered up another yawn.

He had never envied Arthur’s life of privilege—Merlin had been born to humble beginnings and had lived in near-poverty, but he had his mother, his health, and the added bonus of magic, even if it was more of a curse than a gift—but he certainly wouldn’t mind the early bedtime the prince adhered to without fail.

Apparently, the son of the king needed a full eight hours of beauty sleep. 

It was odd, though, because even with all the sleep, Arthur looked exhausted each morning and was grumpy. 

Merlin guessed some people were just destined to be difficult.

Careful not to make any unnecessary noise, he opened the door to Arthur’s chambers and set down the basket to close it when he heard what sounded like an animal.

Arthur didn’t have any animals, but the noise certainly sounded like a puppy. And Merlin would know this as he had spent the last two mornings, after gathering Gaius’s herbs, playing with the five new puppies that Arthur’s dog had given birth to two days earlier. They were adorable and made the sweetest sounds as they cuddled Merlin, licked his face, and tried to crawl on top of him.

But that sound was out of place in the castle. 

Merlin knew it wasn’t at all right. He closed the door and looked around the room, dying embers his only light, but it was enough and Merlin made his way towards Arthur's bedchamber.

The sounds were getting louder and more insistent. 

All pretense of trying to be quiet gone, Merlin rushed over to the curtains in record time and pulled them back to see Arthur clutching a pillow and hugging it, his eyes looking as if he had just seen a ghost. He didn’t seem to notice Merlin, but his breathing continued to get more and more laboured. 

“Arthur,” Merlin said in a firm voice as he sat on the bed and clutched Arthur by the shoulders and looked into his eyes. “You had a nightmare. It’s okay. You are in your bed. You are safe.” Merlin felt a bit silly; he had no idea what to say or how to say it. Arthur was the prince and this situation wasn’t one that Merlin had ever considered. But he was doing the best he could as he caressed Arthur’s cheek, trying to get Arthur to look at him. “I’m here,” he added, not sure why he’d said that, but when he was little and had woken from a bad dream, his mother had often said that to him and it had made Merlin feel safe.

Arthur seemed to come out of his stupor and pulled away from Merlin. He stared at him for a few seconds as he ran his hands through his hair, looking uncomfortable. “I’m fine, Merlin. You may leave,” were his little more than whispered words before he settled down onto the bed again and turned away from Merlin.

Merlin wasn’t sure what he should do. He didn’t feel right leaving Arthur. Every part of him wanted to stay, but he had just been hired again by the prince after the debacle with the snake and Knight Valiant, so he wasn’t at all looking forward to getting on the king’s son’s bad side again so soon.

Nothing else for it, Merlin decided he had no other option than to leave, so he walked towards the door, but he hadn’t taken two steps when Arthur let out another whimper, this one much louder than earlier.

Again Merlin sat on the bed and talked softly to Arthur, trying to coax him out of his terror, but this time Arthur seemed too far gone and the keening increased.

It was so very out of character for Arthur that Merlin nearly found himself too entranced with what he was seeing to do anything helpful, but when Arthur suddenly sat up, grabbed Merlin’s shoulder, and hugged him, _that_ snapped him out of his daze.

“Is that you, Merlin?” Arthur asked, his voice unsteady as he latched on to Merlin for dear life. He sounded nothing like his normal self.

“Yes, it’s me, Sire. You’re in your bed. You are safe,” Merlin said, completely at a loss as to what to do. He should go get the king, or Gaius, but there was no way he was leaving Arthur. He made to stand up, but Arthur grabbed hold of him tighter.

“Please don’t leave me,” was Arthur’s strained reply, his face drained of colour, perspiration matting his hair to his forehead.

Merlin nodded, “Yeah, okay. Let me take off my boots so I can lie down beside you.” He shouldn’t even consider this—it was wrong and he could get in trouble—but he was tired and here was a bed, even if Arthur was in it, so he was going to get some sleep. And, it wasn’t like anyone else was here to care for the prince. 

Merlin was just doing his job.

As Merlin removed his boots and neck kerchief, Arthur continued staring at him. He was most assuredly not fully awake and would probably not remember any of this in the morning.

Merlin hoped he could wake before Arthur and take his leave.

He sat on the bed and got comfortable under the covers as he settled his head on the pillow next to Arthur and moved so he was nearly flush against him. Arthur stared at him, looking more frightened than before, but ever so slowly the frown eased.

It was a surreal moment. Merlin took a deep breath and prepared himself for the night.

“It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere, Arthur,” Merlin said as he reached out and took Arthur’s hands in his. “You can close your eyes and sleep now.” 

When Arthur did as asked, Merlin allowed himself to do the same, but he did not fall asleep for a long while, wondering if this was the reason Arthur always looked so tired and was unpleasant each morning.

When he next woke it was still dark out, but he could see the outline of Arthur because of the moonlight that was now beaming through the window, and his breath caught in his throat at what he saw. Arthur had turned in his sleep and his back was now flush against Merlin’s chest. They were spooning and it was a perfect fit. Arthur’s head was just beneath Merlin’s chin. 

Merlin closed his eyes. He had no idea what would happen when he next woke, but for now he planned to get some more sleep. 

He couldn’t recall the last time he’d slept until he woke naturally.


End file.
